- Fraudsters are hijacking newly issued VAT numbers by linking them to Government Gateway accounts they control.
- This allows them to file fake VAT returns and divert repayments before the legitimate business owner sets up their own online access.
- The scam exploits the timing gap between VAT registration and the business owner establishing their Government Gateway account.
- Businesses often discover the fraud only when they try to add VAT services and find their VAT number already linked elsewhere.
- Immediate action to set up and link Government Gateway accounts upon VAT registration is crucial to prevent fraud.
Source: xeinadin.com
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
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